Olaolu Akeredolu-Ale, popularly known as Olaolu Slawn, has designed the English FA Cup trophy for the 2024 final, which will be contested by Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, on October 24, 2000, Slawn has made a name for himself as a British-Nigerian designer and artist. He is renowned for his work with spray paint, large-scale pop art canvases, graffiti, caricatures, and murals. At just 23 years old, Slawn became the youngest person to design the Britannia statuette for the BRIT Awards in 2023.
In his late teens, Slawn worked at Wafflesncream, Nigeria’s first skate shop, where he met his friends Leo and Onyedi. Together, they created artwork, skated, and made films. This collaboration led to the creation of Motherlan, an apparel group that gained significant popularity in Nigeria and received recognition from the acclaimed designer Virgil Abloh.
In 2018, Slawn moved to London and began studying graphic design at Middlesex University in 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he started painting and distributing his artwork at parties, establishing a strong social media presence. His debut exhibition took place in September 2021 at Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, London.
In 2022, musician Skepta debuted Slawn’s first painting as part of a collection for a Sotheby’s charity auction organized by Slawn. This was followed by his role as the statuette and set designer for the 2023 Brit Awards.
On May 22, 2023, Slawn opened BeauBeau’s Cafe, a family-run restaurant in East London named after his son. His journey from Lagos to becoming a celebrated designer, now responsible for creating the iconic FA Cup trophy, highlights his exceptional talent and creative achievements.
